Future Tense
by Krystiana
Summary: A reason for what happened in my favorite episode.
1. The Breakaway: 2004 AD

Future Tense, Part I: The Breakaway  
by Krystiana Slinky {krystiana@geocities.com}  
----------------  
  
Gargoyles belong to Disney. Don't sue me. I'm only a lowly high school  
student. That should sum it up.  
  
Here is a list of my other works, although they have nothing to do with  
this particular story...  
  
Music Says It All  
To Live Again, Part I  
To Live Again, Part II  
Echoes of the Future  
Companionship  
The Gate {co-authored by Kristafori}  
Soul Mates, Part I  
Soul Mates, Part II  
The Coven Saga, Part I: The Awakening  
The Coven Saga, Part II: The Struggle  
The Coven Saga, Part III: The Fury  
  
and in the "Altered Universe": Temptation  
  
This has nothing to do with my normal stories. This is just something I  
thought up a few weeks ago, and since Future Tense was only a one part  
episode, it was mostly left up to the watcher's imagination. This is only  
my vantage of Future Tense, no one else's. You are most definatley free to  
think up your own reasons for how the battles went. I don't know how many  
parts are going to be in this thing.   
  
So far, I have it pretty much planned out. No sneak peeks, however! I'll  
just say this: there will be at least three parts: this one, the next one,  
which will be called "Blood, Love, and Tragedy," and the next one, "The  
Klung Wars." I checked this out, and it was called the "Klung Wars." I  
turned on the caption vision when I though Brooklyn said "Clone Wars,"  
because I have a video game called "X-MEN 2: Clone Wars." So there, it is  
"Klung" wars. :P  
  
Future Tense is my favorite episode, in case you're wondering. When  
Brooklyn and Demona hugged, I started jumping around the room with glee. :)  
How do you think I came up with my character?   
  
So anyway, here it goes. . .   
  
* * *  
  
"Previously on Gargoyles..."  
  
{Avalon, Part I}  
Goliath: [to Bronx] Yes, this time you can come.  
  
Elisa: Wait for me!  
  
{Upgrade}  
Goliath: I have been considering my second in command. Brooklyn, my friend,  
leadership is a heavy burden.  
  
Brooklyn: Me?  
  
{Kingdom}  
Lexington: Do you think Elisa is with Goliath and Bronx?  
  
Brooklyn: He's probably on a secret mission, or...  
  
Brooklyn: Whatever.  
  
************************  
  
Future Tense, Part I: The Breakaway  
  
He created the world at the end of the world.  
It was destroyed before it could truly begin.  
It showed a false future, a false hope...  
A false life.  
But Puck forgets that all things are real, dreams or no.  
The world of the dream lives on, as it lived before the time of it's end.  
  
* * *  
  
2036 A.D.  
  
From my place in the shadows, I watch my former leader walk in. He looked  
shocked, most likely taken back by the destruction of Manhattan. I saw it  
happen.  
All of it.   
When newspapers were still printed, they had called Xanatos the next Hitler.  
I shake my head. Hitler was not immortal.  
Goliath looks untouched by time. Perhaps Xanatos was not the only who  
relized immortality.   
Lexington is watching as well, from above. I can see his robotic arm  
glinting in the dim light, only visible from my vantage point.   
His injury had been too serious to heal by the sun.  
That battle had been one to remember. But so much had happened to me... to  
_us_ before that one battle.  
  
* * *  
  
2004 A.D.  
  
"Lad, do ye know what ye're saying?"  
Brooklyn swiveled around towards Hudson. "Hudson, he dissappeared without  
a trace. Even if he is on the other side of the world, he should've heard  
about the `Xanatos Manhattan Breakaway.'" Brooklyn stopped and looked at  
the silent television. "There isn't anything else on." Brooklyn flipped it on.  
"And more on the Manhattan Breakaway from the U.S., Xanatos has-" Brooklyn  
growled and kicked the television over. Broadway and Lexington looked at  
their brother sadly.  
"Brooklyn, when Goliath gets back-"  
"GOLIATH ABANDONED US!" Brooklyn yelled, kicking the TV again, sending it  
flying across the room.   
"Goliath didn't abadon us, lad. Ye know that," Hudson said, putting a hand  
on Brooklyn's shoulder. "Ye said it yerself - he's probably-"  
"That was eight _years_ ago, Hudson."  
"Lad, I..."  
Brooklyn sighed and turned away from the clan with his shoulders down.  
Broadway and Lex looked at each other, knowing this was not a time to mess  
with Brooklyn. They looked at the fallen television, now broken. Hudson  
shook his head at the sight of Elisa's gift in ruins.  
Elisa. Just the thought brought painful memories. It had been okay the  
first few days without Goliath, Elisa, and Bronx. But after weeks past,  
then months, then years, it slowly divided that clan with feelings. Hudson  
and Broadway never thought Goliath abandoned the clan, and always waited  
for his return. Lexington wanted only to believe that Goliath would never  
abandon the clan, nor Elisa. He was doubtful on their return, though.  
Brooklyn, now the leader in Goliath's abscence, had become cold, bitter,  
hard towards Goliath. If Goliath ever did return to them, Brooklyn would  
gladly rip out his spine, which Brooklyn had said would be impossible since  
Goliath didn't have a spine. The weight of leadership landed on Brooklyn  
with such a suddeness that it shocked even Hudson. It stayed on his  
shoulders, refusing to let up, to move, to let go. The crash of it stilled  
Brooklyn into a hard glare every time Goliath was mentioned.   
And now, with Xanatos literally trying to take over the world, Goliath was  
still nowhere to be found. Xanatos couldn't be stopped without him.   
"Guys, the police department has just been released." Matt Bluestone came  
up the stairs from below. "I am jobless. I have no money on banking,  
either." He narrowed his eyes. "Xanatos is gonna pay for this."   
Brooklyn listened with his back still turned. "You're damn right he's  
going to pay," he said, his voice dangerously soft.   
Lexington and Broadway, who hadn't said anything all this time, watched  
Brooklyn through worried eyes. He paced back and forward, muttering,  
growling, narrowed eyes. They didn't dare say anything to him, in fear that  
he might blow up at them as well.  
"Look, we can't just sit here," Brooklyn said, turning to the clan. They  
silently agreed. "We need to do something about Xanatos. We can't just let  
him take over."  
"You've got that right," came a new voice from the upper level. They all  
looked up and saw Talon, with Maggie and Claw standing behind him.   
"This time he has gone too far," Talon snarled. "You just don't take over  
the world." Maggie and Claw nodded in agreement, and they jumped down to  
the level where Brooklyn and the others were.  
"We should team up," Talon said. "Neither of our clans are going to beat  
Xanatos on our own."   
"Yeah," Brooklyn said. "Even if we can't stop Xanatos, we can slow him  
down."   
"I'll help," Matt said, coming forward. "He cost me my job, my money,  
everything."   
Brooklyn counted. "That's eight. Not a whole clan, but it's getting better."  
"That would be nine," came one more voice, this one not sounding totally  
friendly. The face matched it. It walked out of the shadows, it's dull  
metal glinting.  
"Coldstone!" Hudson said, drawing his sword.   
Coldstone held up a hand. "Please, mentor. I mean you no harm. When I  
learned of what was happening, we agreed to help you." At the clan's  
glances, he added, "Even the evil one."  
Brooklyn smiled grimly, not meeting anyone's eyes. "That makes nine, then."   
"But is it going to be enough, lad?" Hudson said, putting his sword away  
cautiously.   
"It has to be," Brooklyn said solemnly.  
  
* * *  
  
A few nights later, everyone had moved into the clock tower. Since the  
station had been released, they had the entire old building to themselves.  
Lexington began building machines, computers, whatever would help them. He  
even upgraded Coldstone's weaponary.   
Talon became Brooklyn's second in command, since he was leader of the  
mutates clan. Brooklyn led them all now, even Coldstone.   
Maggie was surprised at how bitter Brooklyn had become, especially towards  
Goliath. When Brooklyn first came to them and told them that Elisa was  
missing, he seemed so full of hope, so sure that they would return someday.  
Now he seemed to be sure that Goliath dissappeared on purpose. ~But he  
didn't,~ Maggie constantly told herself.  
Matt left his old detective clothes behind. He traded them in for more  
suitable clothes for battle.   
That night, they made their first move against Xanatos.  
  
* * *  
  
Brooklyn circled the castle. He watched the steel clan robots patrol along  
the side. He growled at the image of Goliath in those robots.   
~As Demona once said,~ Brooklyn thought. ~Goliath's time is over. I am the  
leader now.~ He hated thinking like Demona, but because of the way Xanatos  
was taking over Manhattan, he understood why she hated humans so much. He  
also agreed that Goliath was weak. He had abanonded the clan to the mercy  
of the humans. He had taken Bronx, and Elisa went with him.   
A wave of sudden guilt rushed over him. He was thinking like Demona, the  
one he hated the most. He had always wondered what made him go along with  
her, stealing the Grimorum, but now he understood her, although he would  
never betray the clan. He cared too much about them all. Matt was a good  
friend, although human. He didn't totally trust him, but it was good to  
have a human ally.   
His thoughts were broken as a laser shot whipped past him. He dodged it  
and whirled around towards where the shot had come from. A steel clan robot  
had spotted him, and it started firing at him again. Brooklyn growled, eyes  
firing up, and dove.  
He slammed the robot into the neaby wall, somehow stunning it. It slowed  
down for a moment and then threw a punch at Brooklyn. Brooklyn ducked,  
grabbed it's, turned around and flipped it over his shoulder.   
It crashed into another wall and this time it blew up. However, the battle  
drew other steel clan robots, circling him now. He growled again and backed  
up to watch them all. He knew he couldn't face them all at once, so he had  
to escape.   
A shot ripped in between Brooklyn and the group of robots. They all turned  
to see Coldstone, who then dissappeared, flying up faster than any of them  
could follow. The robots forgot about Brooklyn, who used the time to  
quietly run to the edge of the castle and glide down.   
Coldstone appeared again right by one of the robots. He grabbed its arm  
and ripped it right out of its socket, then kicked the remains of the robot  
away. He now used the arm as a weapon, whacking the oncoming robots. He  
knocked away one after another, showing no signs of slowing down.   
Brooklyn saw one robot sneaking up on Coldstone, ready to pounce. Brooklyn  
growled and dove for it, slamming it into the ground. Soon, Lexington,  
Broadway, and the others joined in the battle. Only Matt was not present,  
for he was in the castle, fighting on the ground.   
Lexington was not doing too well. Three steel clan had ganged up on him,  
flying around him in circles as he was gliding along at top speed. One made  
a grab for him, and caught him on the shoulder. Lex cried out in pain, and  
began falling in a spiral Brooklyn glided down and caught him. Lex finally  
caught his balance and then glided off on his own.   
An explosion came from inside the castle. Everyone turned towards it, even  
the robots. Lex spotted smoke coming from the inside of the castle, flowing  
out the door like a ghost trying to escape. He dived without warning when  
he spotted a red steel clan robot.   
"Xanatos..."  
No one knew exactly who said it, but when the name was said, Hell broke  
loose. All the robots automatically began shooting at the others, who tried  
to follow Lex.   
Lex was a blur in the air as he shot towards Xanatos. Xanatos didn't know  
what hit him as Lexington barreled into him.   
A commotion was heard from above Brooklyn. Claw was being attacked by  
three of the steel clan. But Claw, as stoic as always, only struggled  
silently.  
The robots began slashing at Claw, aiming for his face, his wings, his  
back, anything vital. Hudson dived at them, knocking the robots away from  
Claw, but was too late to save his wings.   
A cry emitted from Lexington as Xanatos pinned him to the ground. Xanatos  
rose his hand and gave his parting mark.  
"NO!" Brooklyn yelled as his brother was wounded.   
Something that couldn't heal with the sun.   
  
* * *  
  
2036 A.D.  
  
Xanatos had hurt Lex.   
More than hurt. Xanatos had ripped Lex's arm out. And due to the fact that  
Lexington's wings were attached to his arm, Lex couldn't glide.  
I sigh silently as Goliath notices Hudson's commemorating statue.   
Two of the clan had been wounded beyond repair that first battle.   
But that was only because we weren't prepared.   
What Xanatos had done was unforgivable.   
So much had happened.  
So much...  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED. . .  
  
------------  
  
  
Coming Soon!!!  
  
Future Tense, Part II: Love, War, and Tragedy:  
  
Demona and Thailog become involved. But whatever Xanatos has up his sleeve  
when he captures Demona can't be good.  
  
I promise the next one will be longer. I PROMISE!!!!!   
  
For those of you who are fans of my regular Gargoyles universe, I am going  
to be taking a break from that and concentrating on Future Tense. I might  
get the "Long Way To Morning" in the "Altered Universe" out, too.   
  
I _DO_ take suggestions! In the "Altered Universe," I am trying to fit  
Brooklyn in as a bad guy in "Reawakening," and it isn't working too well.  
He just isn't meant to be a bad guy, I guess. And if I ever end up getting  
to "The Mirror," should Puck grant Brooklyn the transformation gift or  
leave it be.   
  
And one more thing: should I cook up a crosseover between the "Altered  
Universe" and my regular one? I think the meeting would be quite  
interesting...  
  
I think I babbled more than I wrote. Whoops, the curses of being me. 


	2. Blood, Love, and Tragedy: 2004 AD

Future Tense, Part II  
Blood, Love, and Tragedy  
--------------------------  
I don't own gargoyles, don't sue me, you're not gonna get  
much, you've heard it all before.  
Welcome to part II of my current project. I would have   
gotten this out sooner, but I had a BIIIG writer's block for   
the longest time.  
  
OUT OF MY HEAD: If I hear ONE more stupid query about the   
"Titanic" amount of awards "Titanic" won, I swear, I am   
going to rip somebody's head off!  
  
---------------------------  
  
"Previously on Gargoyles..."  
  
{Future Tense, Part II: The Breakaway}  
Brooklyn: GOLIATH ABANDONED US!!!  
  
Matt: I'm out of a job.  
  
[Xanatos attacking Lexington]  
  
---------------------------  
  
2036 AD  
  
"Goliath is back."  
I turn my comunicator on. "What, my love?"  
"Goliath is back. Matt just told me." Brooklyn's voice   
sounds so cold, yet excited at the same time. Excited at   
finally getting revenge.  
"Is he sure it's him?" I ask, turning around, heading   
back to the base.  
"Actually, he says he looks exactly the same."  
"After forty years? Is that possible?" I am surprised.  
"I don't know. But I've waited for this too long,   
Demona."  
"That I know," I say.  
"Just come back to the labyrinth, okay?"  
"I'm on my way."  
I spread my wings farther apart to speed up. I don't   
want Brooklyn to get into a fight with Goliath. He might get   
hurt, or get so enraged that he could end up killing Goliath.   
I can't let either of those happen.  
Brooklyn.  
Thailog.  
Goliath.  
All had once held my love, but Brooklyn handled it   
best. After years of hating me, he loved me. And I love him.   
And I can't let anything happen to  
him.  
How Brooklyn managed to forgive me, I shall never   
know. But I do know how we first came to the clan. A   
struggle I shall never forget...  
  
* * *  
  
2005 AD  
  
"Night Angel?" Thailog quickly ran into the Nightstone   
Unlimited building, one of the last buildings that was still   
completely intact in Manhattan.  
"Yes, my love?" Demona looked up from her desk.  
"I just spotted several steel clan robots heading   
towards here."  
Demona stood up quickly. "What?!" she said.  
"We have to get out of here," Thailog said. "Now!"  
Demona nodded in agreement. "Come on!" She gestured   
to the back. "We'll get the-"  
She was cut off as the far wall came crashing in.   
Three steel clan robots walked in, and many others were   
watching from outside.  
Demona gasped. Thailog lurched forward and grabbed   
her, pulling her towards the exit. She wasn't one to argue.  
  
* * *  
  
Brooklyn looked over the map of Manhattan as Talon   
pointed to the severely damaged areas.  
"Here, a shelter can be set up," Talon said, pointing to   
an area. "We can help get the civilians out of the cold   
before winter hits."  
Brooklyn agreed. "I think we can set another one up h-"  
"Lad! Come outside, quickly!" Hudson's voice bellowed   
from the door.  
Brooklyn looked at Talon and then raced outside.  
Several steel clan robots were chasing two gargoyles   
in the distance. One looked to be female, and then other   
looked like Goliath, except so much darker...  
"Who are they?" Brooklyn wondered.  
Broadway squinted. "Demona... and what was the name   
of Goliath's clone?"  
"Thailog," came a weak voice. Everyone turned and   
looked at Lexington.  
"Lex, you shouldn't be out here!" Brooklyn said. "Get   
back inside!" Brooklyn gestured, and all who were able   
followed him off the edge of the clock tower.  
Lexington stared after their diminishing forms. His   
large eyes narrowed.  
  
* * *  
  
Brooklyn glided directly over the steel clan robot. It   
would be a miracle if they hadn't spotted him yet.  
The robots were right on the tail of Demona and   
Thailog, who were using every manuever possible to dodge   
the blasts. But they soon ran out, and Thailog went down.  
Demona gasped. She looked back and saw the robot who   
had shot him, and who was now aiming at her. Over the   
robot's shoulder, she spotted the red-skinned gargoyle.  
He pounced on the robot, as quick as lightning. He tore   
his talons into the jet pack, and the robot sailed down.  
The others quickly caught up. Demona saluted her   
thanks to Brooklyn and then went back to avoiding the steel   
clan.  
A searing pain ripped through her left wing. She cried   
out as she fell. She twisted around to see the ground   
coming up fast.  
Suddenly, the ground began getting farther away.   
Something had caught her. And it was metal. Either   
Coldstone or -  
A steel clan robot?!  
"NO!"  
  
* * *  
  
Coldstone turned just in time to see his rookery   
sister get captured by one of the robots Xanatos created.   
Despite her evil deeds she had done, she was still his   
sister. He fired towards her.  
Demona was struggling to get loose. And she wasn't   
being successful. The robot had a tight grip on her and he   
wasn't about to let go.  
Coldstone could only watch as the robot sailed off   
towards the Eyrie building, faster than he could follow. The   
rest of the robots were quick to lauch after them.  
Coldstone turned to his young leader. "Should we   
follow, Brooklyn?"  
Brooklyn narrowed his eyes after the diminishing   
forms. "Not all of us. Broadway, Maggie, Talon - you go back   
and tend to Thailog. Don't fight him if he gets hostile.   
Everyone else, come with me."  
He curled his wings and glided after the robots and   
Demona.  
  
* * *  
  
Demona growled as the robot placed her in the cage.   
Her wing was aching terribly, and the pain came in waves.   
She was in no position to fight.  
The cage closed and locked with a bang. She could tell   
by the faint humming that the bars were electrified.  
"XANTOS!!!" she roared. "WHERE ARE YOU, HUMAN?!"  
"Right in front of you, my dear." The voice was   
mocking, suiting the human's character. Xanatos stepped   
out of the shadows in his usual black attire, hands behind   
his back.  
Demons allowed her eyes to glow a deadly red as her   
growl lowered in pitch. "Why have you imprisioned me?"   
she demanded.  
Xanatos shook his head. "You are the one who betrayed   
me. What would that be, your third betrayal? Fourth, if you   
included the second time you betrayed Goliath-"  
"Cut it, Xanatos."  
"All right." His agreement was not sincere. She could   
tell that by his smile. "Tell me, how is your daughter   
doing?"  
Demona snarled. "Don't toy with me, Xanatos. I do not   
have a daughter."  
"Don't lie to me, Demona. Oh, what was her name..."   
Xanatos shook his head, pretending to be thinking hard. He   
snapped his fingers. "Angela! That's it."  
Demona growled again. "What are you trying to pull?"   
she demanded.  
"Why, nothing!" Xanatos acted shocked. "I was merely   
wondering how she was doing. She is quite lovely, might I   
add. She inherited many of her mother's looks-"  
"Human, what are you talking about?"  
Xanatos sighed. "Must I refresh your memory?" He   
nodded to the right wall, where a screen came on. The first   
thing that came on was that idiot Detective, Maza. She   
appeared to be running from something. Two other humans   
were running after her. Goliath was close behind them. And   
the last fleeing creature that came on the screen was a   
female gargoyle...  
Xanatos paused the screen. "There she is!" he stated.   
"NOW do you recall?"  
"That... that is my daughter?" Demona gasped.  
"Yes. Quite lovely, isn't she?"  
"I-I met her in Paris!" Demona stuttered. "Where did   
she come from?"  
"Don't ask me." Xanatos turned off the screen.  
"Turn that back on!" Demona snapped.  
"You aren't really in a position to tell me what to do,   
my dear." Xanatos glanced at the floor Demona was standing   
on. "That entire cage is electrified. One false move, and you   
are toast."  
Demona snarled once more, clenching and unclenching   
her fists.  
"Now if you will excuse me..." Xanatos turned around to   
leave.  
"No, we will not excuse you." Demona gasped as   
Brooklyn leapt down from the window, followed by Hudson   
and Coldstone. Brooklyn landed almost silently, never   
removing his eyes from Xanatos. He took a few dangerous   
steps towards Xanatos.  
Four steel clan robots immediately stepped in his   
path. Xanatos used the diversion to run to a back wall.   
Pressing a stone, part of the wall slid away. He stepped   
inside, leaving the battle to his robots.  
A few more robots had each stepped up to Hudson and   
Coldstone, keeping them occupied as well.  
Demona looked around her cage. If there was some way   
she could decharge the bars...  
She gasped as Brooklyn threw one of the gargoyle   
robots at the cage. The bars began sizzling, lighting up the   
room. She stood away and covered her eyes until the   
crackling stopped. The robot was still now.  
Demona tapped the bar. Feeling no shock, she quickly   
bent the bars and leapt out, aiming for one of the steel   
clan. Her wing was still aching, but in the centuries she   
had lived, she had managed to get over pain in a matter of   
minutes.  
Out of a corner of her eye, she watched Brooklyn. He   
fought ruthlessly, giving the machines no mercy. Of course,   
it was stupid to give a machine mercy, but this was so   
unlike him...  
A shot ripped past her, interrupting her thoughts. She   
turned towards where the blast had come from, growling.  
"Xanatos..." There he was standing, in his stupid little   
"exo-frame." His blaster had the tell-tale smoke of a   
recently fired shot.  
Brooklyn leapt at him, eyes glowing. Instead of   
keeping his hands in a fist like Demona had remembered   
him to do, his talones were outstretched, looking ready to   
rip into anything that got in his way.  
He ran right into Xanatos, and the horrible sound of   
metal hitting stone ripped through everyone's ears.   
Brooklyn dug his feet into the stone floor as he pushed   
Xanatos against the wall. Baring his teeth, Brooklyn   
grinned. "It's over, Xanatos."  
"I think not," Xanatos said. Bringing his arm up, he   
clawed down on Brooklyn's red shoulder. Brooklyn roared   
and fell to his knees in pain. Xanatos dragged him back to   
his feet by his neck. "Say goodbye to your fearless leader."   
Xanatos brought back his fist and hit Brooklyn with a   
roundhouse punch, who went flying back and smacked the   
opposite wall with a sickening thud. He landed on the   
ground, his head rolling back.  
Demona's eyes widened. Coldstone grimaced and ran to   
Brooklyn's side. "Brooklyn, are you all right?"  
Only a wheezing gasp came from Brooklyn.  
Coldstone grasped Brooklyn's hand. "You can't die on   
us. You have to lead the clan."  
Hudson watched the two with his eyes narrowed.   
Xanatos was meaning to use this diversion as an escape. If   
Brooklyn was going to die, Hudson didn't intend to let him   
go alone. Xanatos was going to go right after him, except he   
would go to Hell.  
Hudson drew his sword and stood menancingly in front   
of Xanatos. "Ye've just earned yerself a fight, laddie."  
Xanatos laughed. "Is that so? Well, I'll try to make it   
quick. I have an important meeting to be at."  
"Oh, this will be quick, laddie. A quick ending."  
"Brave words, Hudson," Xanatos quirked.  
Hudson roared and ran straight at Xanatos. Xanatos   
quickly looked around and spotted a metal pole. Hudson's   
sword clanged loudly.  
Demona didn't know who to help, or to help at all. The   
dying Brooklyn; or the fighting Hudson. After a moment, she   
ran to Brooklyn and Coldstone.  
Xanatos, kicked behind Hudson's knee - the weak spot   
- and Hudson's leg buckled. Xanatos then brought his elbow   
up and smack Hudson behind the head. Hudson countered   
with a sweeping of his leg, tripping Xanatos, who landed   
right beside the recently broken-out-of cage.  
A smile spread across Xanatos's face as he reached   
for the metal pole he had earlier. Hudson came flying at   
him again with his sword waving. Xanatos bent the pole   
slightly, so that he could stick the pole into the floor of   
the cage and the other part to fend Hudson off with. Hudson,   
unfortunately, hadn't noticed this move. As soon as   
Hudson's sword came in contact with the pole, the current   
began surging. Xanatos tried to dive out of the way, but his   
foot got caught in one of the bars Demona had bent. Both of   
their screams began echoing in Manhattan.  
  
* * *  
  
Broadway looked up from Thailog's still unconsious   
body. "Did you guys hear that?" he asked Talon and Maggie.  
Maggie and Talon looked at each other and shook their   
heads. "Hear what?" Talone asked.  
Broadway's eyes narrowed in confusion. "It must have   
been my imagination..." he said uncertainly.  
But his eyes never left the sky.  
  
* * *  
  
Coldstone shook his head. First his leader, and now his   
mentor...  
Xanatos's body had been thrown into the shadows by   
one of his robots. But Hudson's body lay still. Brooklyn   
coughed and sat up, completely ignoring all protest. He   
stared at Hudson's body.  
"No..." he whispered. ~I've failed again...~ he thought.  
Even Demona was shocked. "How..." she began. But her   
words went unheeded as Coldstone stumbled over and   
picked Hudson up.  
"My mentor..." he whispered. He reached over and   
closed Hudson's eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
The whole clan was silent. One by one, they all gave   
their last goodbyes. All but Thailog, who stood centerly,   
looking stoic.  
"I had always though he was invincible, and he still   
is," Demona said with her eyes closed.  
Brooklyn silently agreed as he knelt beside Hudson's   
grave. "I'm sorry we couldn't give you a better place to   
rest, Hudson," he began softly. "I know you know I wish it   
was me instead of you. We swear t-that Xanatos-" He spit  
the word out with a quick flash of his eyes -"is going to   
pay for this. We'll avenge you, and we will never, ever give   
up." He eyes began filling. "And... I... I just want to thank you   
for being there for me when Goliath abandoned us. I couldn't   
of led this clan without you. And I know you are still with   
me - with ALL of us - to guide us." He stopped and stood up.  
"Goodbye, leader." He bowed his head in a last moment of   
honor, and the others did the same.  
As the others climbed up to the clock tower, Brooklyn   
stayed one last moment, reading the tombstone they had made for him.  
  
Hudson Wyvern-Manhattan  
The Greatest Leader  
The Greatest Mentor  
The Best Teacher That Ever Lived  
912 AD - 2004 AD  
Remembered By All  
  
* * *  
  
Brooklyn climbed into the clock tower, looking at his   
solemn clan. Even though that Hudson was gone, he still had   
to lead. He turned to Demona and Thailog, glaring at   
Demona.  
"I supposed we SHOULD let you back in for helping me,"   
Brooklyn began. "But you two don't have the best of track records."  
"We know."  
"But... with Hudson gone, we'll need all the help we can   
get against Xanatos," Brooklyn decided reluctantly.  
Demona was, once again, shocked by Brooklyn.  
And so was the rest of the clan. They stared at their   
leader. "Brooklyn... maybe you're not thinking clearly," Matt   
began.  
Brooklyn shook his head. "I've made my decision." He   
turned back towards the two. "But I don't want ANY funny   
business." He eyed Thailog. "Don't you ever talk?"  
Thailog gave a half-hearted smile. "Sometimes."  
Brooklyn shook his head and turned away from them. "I   
need to have some time alone." He began walking towards   
the back room. Demona put her hand out and stopped him,   
pulling on his arm gently. Brooklyn looked back at her with   
a surprised look on his face.  
"I can help you. I have money which can pay for   
weapons and supplies." She glanced at Lexington's handicap.   
"I may be able to help you, Lexington."  
Lex's eyes widened. "How?"  
Demona turned towards Coldstone. "Well, it would   
take some surgery, but with the right medics, we may able   
to fix you, like we did with Coldstone."  
Lexington's eyes were wider then ever. "Are you   
serious? Can you really do that?"  
Demona smiled. "Yes. We owe all of you for what you   
did tonight, and I want to repay you."  
Brooklyn narrowed his eyes. "I don't like the though of   
you or anybody hired by you poking around in Lex's body or   
brain."  
Demona turned her head back towards Brooklyn. "You   
said yourself - no funny business. I'm not planning anything.   
I just want to help. I may... dislike humans-" Brooklyn   
snorted at this. "-but I don't want to live in a world that   
Xanatos is creating. I'll work with humans, tolerate them,   
in order to beat him."  
Brooklyn eyed her, and then Thailog. "Okay," he said in   
his slightly rumbling voice. "When can you do it?"  
"Anytime."  
Brooklyn looked at his small rookery brother, looking   
into his desperate eyes. "How about tommorow night?" Lex   
smiled and looked at Demona.  
Demona nodded. "Tommorow night, then." She glanced   
at Brooklyn's still bleeding shoulder. The three claw marks   
that Xanatos had left were deep and dark. "That... that may   
leave a scar."  
Brooklyn raised his shoulder. "I had almost forgotten   
about that..." Claw brought over a gauze wrap and began   
cleaning the wound.  
Can all of you come to the Nightstone Unlimited   
building tommrow?" Demona said. "We can sort everything   
out there."  
Brooklyn winced as the medicated lotion began   
burning. "Yes, we'll be there."  
  
* * *  
  
Demona glanced out the window. Thailog watched her,   
then looked at the weapons and armor she had placed in   
numerous spots around the room.  
"You don't... have something up your sleeve, do you,   
Night Angel?" he asked her. "Something you neglected to   
mention?"  
Demona glared at her love. "No. I'm not planning   
anything."  
"Demona?" Brooklyn's voice came from the room next   
to the one they were in. "Are you in here?"  
"We're in here, Brooklyn!" she shouted.  
Brooklyn peeked in through the door, Lex hopping off   
his back. Everyone's eyes widened as they spied the   
weaponary everywhere.  
"Human... Matt." Matt looked up nervously as Demona   
called his name. "This armor is for you." She pointed at the   
grayish-blue armor on the floor.  
"Brooklyn, this is yours. It will protect your shoulder   
from further injury." She handed him an entire outfit of   
clothes. "You can go in there to try them on."  
Brooklyn's eyes widened as he accepeted the armor. He   
walked into the room Demona had pointed at and came out a   
few moments later. The blue plate that went over his   
shoudler contrasted with his red skin, but it was perfect.   
There was a large metal shield on his chest, and the   
loincloth was the same shade blue the plate on his   
shoulder. He had two wrist blasters that fit nicely over his   
arms, and two muscle wraps on his theighs. Demona smiled.   
"It's perfect."  
"I'll say." Brooklyn was stunned by the sudden luxery,   
but he still wanted to thank Demona and Thailog when he   
notcied something. "Don't you two get anything for   
yourselves?"  
"I already have my own," Thailog pointed out.  
Demona growled, and then walked into another room.   
She came out in her own armor, which was much like   
Brooklyn's. She had two gold plates over her shoulders and   
a gold breast shield. Her loincloth was a darker shade of   
brown, with the same kind of muscle wraps Brooklyn had.   
On her arms were two long blasters that were gold as well.  
"Nicely... coordinated," Lexington said dryly.  
"I haven't forgotten you," Demona said. "Come here."   
Lexington walked over to her, and she led him into the   
hallway. She came back nearly fifteen minutes later. "It   
won't take long. The medics have everything they need, and   
they are very experienced. He'll most likely be done by 2 or   
3 o'clock this morning."  
"And he'll be all right?" Broadway said.  
"Yes. Stop worrying."  
"I'll try."  
  
* * *  
  
Lexington stretched his arms. The new mechanical   
arm was wonderful - and more powerful then he could ever   
imagine. The clan had let him go out gliding on his own... or   
rather, they tried to keep up with him but he was just too   
fast.  
Lexington laughed. He was glad he was finally rid of   
them, though temporarily. When Xanatos had hurt him, they   
looked at him like someone... different.  
Xanatos. Lexington's eyes darkened. That... human had   
hurt him. It was his fault that Lex was like this. And Lex   
wanted to make him pay - now.  
He steered off towards the Eyrie building. Xanatos   
was about to get a big surprise.  
Lex landed in the courtyard softly. Brooklyn said that   
the battle had taken place in the room of the Great Hall... so   
Lex decided to look there. It was the best place to start.  
Unfortunately, it was hard to see. Lex squinted into   
the dark, straining his night vision. Then he laughed. He had   
forgotten...  
Switching on a light that had been in his mechanical   
palm, he lit up the room, spying the cage and the tell-tale   
pole. But as he walked closer to the cage, he spotted   
something red reflecting the light.  
...Xanatos?  
His armor. Xanatos still lay where he had landed.   
Although he only been dead for slightly more than a night,   
his body still stank of a decomposing corpse.  
Xanatos was dead.  
Lex had to tell to the clan. The war was over, no one   
was going to take over the world....  
But Lex didn't move. His light still shone on Xanatos's   
body.  
Slowly, an evil grin spread over Lexington's face.  
  
* * *  
  
2036 AD  
  
Demona landed softly by the labyrinth. Slipping inside,   
she shook her head. Lex would never talk about where he   
had went that first night gliding again. But the clan   
stopped pressuring him to talk.  
As she walked down the hallway, her fear for Brooklyn   
increased. She couldn't let either of them hurt each other...  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
-------------------------------  
  
COMING SOON!  
Future Tense, Part III: The Klung Wars  
Klung Robot: Primary Target - Thailog  
Something is waiting for Thailog in the shadows...  
  
Future Tense, Part IV: The Ultrapack  
Future Tense, Part V: Loving the Enemy  
  
AND!!...  
  
Faith at Heart:  
Brooklyn is losing faith, and Alex has an interesting   
way of getting it back...  
  
okay, all done! 


	3. The Klung Wars: 2016 AD

by Krystiana Slinky [krystiana@mindless.com]  
------------------------------  
  
Blah, blah blah. There, that's my disclaimer. Lessee..... just don't sue me, kay?  
  
The third installment of the Future Tense thingy-dooey. You have no clue how long this  
took to do. I kept getting big blocks. I would write a few sentences at a time. So finally, I  
sat down and forced ideas into my head. It worked, kinda. It's short, and it moves fast.  
Kind rushed.   
  
Okay, I've started the fourth and fifth movements, but I have no clue how long it'll take  
me to write. The fifth won't take long, but..... oh, well.   
  
----------------------  
  
2036 AD  
  
I hear the beeping go off on my communicator. Grumbling, I contemplate ignoring  
it. But then Brooklyn would think something had happened to me, and send off a search  
party or do something to overexaggerate. I flip on the communicator which I designed  
years ago. Matt's voice comes on, sounding quiet and excited.   
"Goliath is back, Lex!"  
My eyes widen. ~Goliath?~ I think. "But... how?"  
"How should I know?" Matt says. "Just get back to the Labyrinth quickly!"  
I close my communicator and look at the computer in front of me. I growl, silently  
cursing Goliath's return. The Xanatopia program was supposed to be uploaded tonight! I  
did not want to put off the plan any longer than it had to be.   
An idea springs to my mind. I could still rule the world by the time the night was  
over. I sit down by the giant machine, pressing a button. Outside, I know a holographic  
image has loomed above the City. An image of Xanatos. "Rejoice my people," I say in  
Xanatos's voice.   
"The age of Xanatopia is at hand..."  
  
* * *  
  
2016 AD  
  
Thailog had a gruelling respect for Brooklyn.  
True, at first he had though Brooklyn would quickly crumble under the weight of  
leadership and the loss of the elder, Hudson. But Brooklyn had proven him wrong.  
Despite his age, he was proving to be a fine leader.   
So young to be leading a clan! ~If anyone should be leading the clan, it should be  
me,~ Thailog once thought. But when he mentioned the subject to Demona, she pointed  
out that Brooklyn, in actuality, was older than himself. Thailog dropped the matter and  
never mentioned it again. But he didn't forget about it.  
Thailog had a gruelling respect for Brooklyn, but he would never admit it.  
  
* * *  
  
"Nicky!"  
Nicholas Zsido looked over his shoulder to see his little sister running to catch up.  
"What do you want, Jamie?"  
Jamie looked at him with her cat-like green eyes. "Brenden said not to go anywhere  
alone."  
"Oh, joy. Our 'father figure' knows what's best for us," Nick said sarcastically.   
"Brenden and Margo have taken care of us ever since Mom and Dad were killed in  
that mutate raid. You should be grateful." Nick hated the way she just let the words roll of  
her toungue.   
"Jamie-"  
"Where were you going, anyway?"  
"To look for a new place to live. One boom and that place is going to come crashing  
down around us."  
"Nicky!"  
"It's true! And don't call me Nicky."  
"Nicky, Nicky, Nicky, Nicky, Nick-"  
"Stop it!"  
"Nickynickynickynicky-"  
Nick quickly tackled his sister, who let out a shriek as she landed in a mud puddle.   
"Nicky, you bastard!" Nick grinned and helped her up.   
Jamie scowled at her big brother. "If you ever do that-" She broke off and stared over  
Nick's shoulder with wide eyes and gasped. "OH, DEAR LORD!" she screamed. "Nicky,  
run!"  
Nick turned around and saw it. A giant... something... was looking at them, and  
quickly advancing towards them. The gold robot picked up Nick as a red bulb began  
flashing.   
Jamie watched it in horror as the robot aimed something (an arm?) at her brother...  
"NICKY!!!"  
  
* * *  
  
The shadowed figure let a smile spread across his face. The new robot was working.   
It did look quite a bit like Xanatos's Coyote 4.0 robot that had been destroyed in  
Egypt, but it was much more efficient. It didn't act like Xanatos, for one thing. Plus it  
followed orders to the point of death, if needed. Once given a target, the victim was dead.   
Lexington had designed the robot for one thing - to capture humans to be turned into  
mutates. He aimed for the family of victims that he had already destroyed. This robot was  
capturing this boy so he could be a servant for "Xanatos."  
The Klung robot, as it was called, named after the man who built it, was unbeatable.  
It could most likely even capture Goliath.   
Lexington sat straight up. Not Goliath...  
  
* * *  
  
"Two dissappearances in the south part, a child injured in Brooklyn, a murder just  
north of Brooklyn..." Talon reported.   
"Six sightings in all," Matt put in.   
Brooklyn listened with interest. "Did anyone give a description?"  
"A gold robot. That's all they said."  
Brooklyn silently swore inwardly. "We should probably go look for it. We can't let  
something like that running around the city. We've got enough problems already." He  
stopped and looked at the troops. "We'll split up. Coldstone and Maggie, you're in one  
group. Talon will head it up. Demona, Thailog, and Lex, your with me. Everyone else  
stay here, but keep an eye and ear out for that thing."  
Everyone went to their jobs, but Lexington lurked behind his group. Everything was  
working out just the way he wanted. He began scanning for the robot, and found it was a  
mere half-mile away. He communicated with the robot, sending direct orders to it.   
*Passcode: lot 20*  
*ACCESS GRANTED*  
*Defecon: Rebels*   
The robot grinded this in. *IMPERITVE?*  
*Primary target. Capture him.*  
A silence. *CONFIRMED*  
Brooklyn looked back at his rookery brother. "Lex, is there a way you can scan for  
the robot?"  
Lexington blinked. "Already have." He stopped and squinted again, pretendting to be  
searching again. "It's called the Klung robot. It has many defenses, triggered by command  
or movement. The program right now-" He flinched in pretend pain. "It locked me out. It  
should be right below us."  
Brooklyn growled. "I see it!" He spirled down silently, followed by his team.   
Demona squinted at the thing. It was gold, and about seven feet of metal. She  
growled as what appeared to be it's head looked up at them.  
"It spotted us!" Thailog snarled as he dodged to the left when a scarlet laser beam  
ripped past them.  
Brooklyn flipped around and dived down behind the robot. It quickly turned around  
and saw him, firing numerous shots. Brooklyn leapt up into the air and snapped his wings  
open, which was a mistake. A shot ripped through his wing. He cried out in pain and fell  
to the ground. The robot made an immediate rush towards him. Brooklyn tried to stand  
up, shaking his head to clear it. He wasn't successful in standing up, and the robot loomed  
closer.   
Demona swept down and picked him up under the arms, setting him down on the  
near building. She bent down beside him to make sure he was all right.  
Thailog suddenly leapt at the robot with eyes glowing, tail lashing, and his talons  
outstretched. He raked his claws across the metal framing of it with enough force to  
flatten a building, leaving... nothing.   
Thailog's eyes widened and clawed at it again, getting the same results. He reeled  
back, pulling out his laser blaster with new confidence. He fired several shots at it, only to  
watch the shots bounce off the bright gold metal with nothing more then a slight "bonk"  
sound.   
Lexington, meanwhile, was forming a strategy in his mind. He swept around the  
robot, letting his eyes flare up a deadly white. In a single, solid, flowing motion, he shot  
towards the robot with such speed and accuracy that would make a marksman jealous. He  
put out a foot to connect with the robot's head.   
"THONK!"   
Lexington flinched in pain, but shook it off. Pain was necessary - masquerading a  
role for as long as he had was not easy, and sacrifices had to be made. If he came out the  
only one in the battle who had not been injured, the others would suspect something.   
Lexington felt the metal close around his flesh ankle as the robot picked him up high  
into the air. Sending a few quick commands to the robot, he was soon flying through the  
air again as the robot spun him around in a circle and suddenly let him go. He sailed  
towards Thailog and hit him dead on in the gut.   
Demona jerked her head up. "Will you be all right on your own?" she asked  
Brooklyn. He gave a painful nod, knowing he probably only had a few bruised ribs from  
the fall. Demona spred her wings and dove off the edge into the air, gliding towards the  
robot with eyes glowing red.   
But as Brooklyn soon heard her pained roar echo around the empty city, he knew the  
battle was soon to be lost.   
  
* * *  
  
"Nicky?"   
Nicky groaned and blinked, trying to clear the haze that was hanging in front of his  
eyes.   
"Nick?" His sister's voice sounded pained.  
"Jamie?" he managed to croak out. Oh, god, it hurt to even _talk._  
"Nicky, what happened?"   
Nick tried to rub his eyes to clear them, but then realised that he couldn't move. He  
arms and legs were tightly bound to something, most likely a wall.  
"We were attacked by some robot thing."   
"But what happened to you?" Jamie asked.  
"What do you mean?" He blinked rapidly and managed to clear his eyes. His siter  
was sitting on the ground, bound in chains. Her clothes were ripped in various places, and  
she had a darkening bruise on her right cheek.   
"Jamie!" he said. "Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine!" she said. "But what happened to you?"   
"What the hell are you talking about?" he said impatiently.   
"Nicky..." Jamie began in a small voice. "You have wings."  
"Wings? Give me a break."  
"I'm telling the truth! The only reason I could even recognize you was because of  
your clothes!"   
"What..." Nicky had a sinking feeling in his gut. He had heard about the mutates.  
More then heard. His parents... He stopped and closed his eyes. "Please, god, no..." he  
whispered. He opened his eyes and arched his neck behind him. Sure enough, he saw two  
sleek, black wings, attached to his back. When he tried to move them, they moved. "Oh,  
my lord," he said in the same tone. He lowered his head and his eyes tightly shut. "No..."   
A single tear managed to squeeze out of the closed eyes.   
"No."  
  
* * *  
  
Demona waved the burning smoke from her face. The robot had apparently caught  
something on fire, and the smoke was stinging her eyes like venom. She started coughing  
involuntarily, and she stumbled around blindly.   
Tripping over something, she fell hard on her shoulder. Tears ran down her face, and  
she found them strangely comforting, cooling off her eyes. Despite this fact, she began  
wiping them away.   
"Thailog..." she whispered. "Please, where are you..."  
Hands, strong hands, lifted her to her feet. They began taking her somewhere. She  
couldn't tell who it was. She moaned in pain. "Relax, Night Angel," came Thailog's voice,  
as soothing as it could be. He sweeped her into his mighty arms and began running into  
the smoke.   
A shot rang through Demona's ears. She faintly heard Thailog grunt in pain and he  
stumbled a bit, but he kept moving.   
  
* * *  
  
The Manhattan Clan shouted commands at one another throughout the battle.  
They could not possibly be heard.   
  
* * *  
  
Demona came out of her haze and she looked at her love. Thailog was guarding her,  
looking ready to rip the guts out of anything that came near them. She sat up slowly,  
rubbing her head.   
"Are you all right?" Thailog asked her, still crouched low.  
"Yes, of course!" Demona said, standing up with his support. "I'll be fine." She  
gazed into his eyes and smiled; he smiled back.  
A shot brought them back to the real world and they jerked their heads towards the  
quickly advancing Klung robot.   
"Damn it!" Demona swore. She reached for her gun, only to find that it wasn't there.  
She had probably dropped it somewhere along the way. She resorted to her wrist blasters  
- not as strong as the laser gun, but effective. She fired at the robot with accuracy, but the  
shot bounced off and hit her. She was sent flying back and into the wall. Already weak  
from the first time she was down, there was no way she was getting up now. She could  
only watch as her love launched himself at the robot. She watched as he failed to stop it.  
She watched as his body fell limp to the ground, and the robot drag his body off.   
Newfound strength surged into her. "NO!" she roared, and she sailed into the air.  
The robot simply turned and fired a shot cleanly through her wing. She screamed in pain  
and she fell to the ground. The robot turned again and once again began dragging  
Thailog's body into the mist.   
Demona shook her head in disbelief. "THAILOG!" she shouted, letting out a  
terrifying roar. She collapsed onto the ground, shivering and sobbing.   
Brooklyn found her asleep with a tear-streaked face.   
  
* * *  
  
Lexington walked into his "office," grinning. He had had a successful night.   
A VERY successful night.   
Thailog's body was all his to do whatever he wanted with it. He could dissect it,  
mutilate it, hang his head on a post and taunt Demona with it.... but he had MUCH bigger  
plans.   
He ws going to clone the clone.   
Basically, he wanted lots of Thailogs running around, working for him. Except  
MUCH stupider. Lex smiled and his cyberbiotic eyes flashed for a moment.   
He would attend this matter later. Just then, he had to check in on his latest pupil.  
  
* * *  
  
Jamie looked at her brother's new form. Aside from having fur, wings, talons, fangs,  
and a cat-like face, he was still the same person... basically.   
Except Nicholas Zsindo NEVER cried.   
Nicky has cried himself to sleep.  
And he was now waking up as a clang of the metal door rang. The door swung open,  
and out stepped a gargoyle... or was it a gargoyle? Jamie wasn't sure.   
The... gargoyle pointed at Nicky, and two mutates walked up and unlocked him.  
Grabbing him by the arms, they began dragging him out the door.   
"Where are you taking him?" Jamie protested. "Why are you doing this?"   
The gargoyle turned back towards her. "Take her, too. Let her watch."  
"Watch WHAT?" she said as yet another mutate walked up to her and unlocked the  
chains. He grabbed her shoulders and followed the others out the door.   
Jamie was set down harshly on the floor and her brother was being locked up again  
on a slap of metal or something. The gargoyle pressed a button, and a large cannon-  
looking thing arranged itself and pointed at Nicky.   
"NO!" Jamie yelled and began to get up. She was quickly pushed back down.   
The cannon fired, and Nicky was enveloped in a glowing purple haze. He let out an  
inhuman roar, which died quickly. His expression changed from pain to... expressionless.  
The cannon stopped humming and the haze dissappeared.   
The restraints on Nicky unlocked and he got up with the same expressionless face.   
"Nicky?" Jamie whispered. He didn't even turn to look at her.   
"Now, to prove your loyalty," the gargoyle said. He pointed at Jamie, who shrunk  
back at his very gaze. "Kill her."  
Nicky began walking towards his sister and extended a taloned hand, raising it up as  
if to hit her.  
Jamie said nothing as he brought the talons down along her face.   
  
* * *  
  
2036 AD  
  
I remember that night all too well. Why I remember Jamie and Nicholas Zsindo, I  
still don't know. Perhaps all that went on that night made me remember.   
I finish my little broadcast and switch off the holographic image of Xanatos.  
Walking to the edge of the castle, I dive off, not really caring if I am seen.   
Heading back towards "base," I spot Nicky himself, leading the group of mutates I  
had appointed him too. Walking in perfect syncronation, they look like an army from the  
Civil War, minus the weapons. Their weapons were their talons, something I knew all too  
well.   
  
To be continued.........  
  
------------------------------  
  
Done and DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Coming Soon!!  
Future Tense, Part IV: The Ultrapack -  
A simple patrol turns into a suicide mission.  
  
****  
  
Okay, tell me waht you think. Yes, I love feedback and I usually reply.  
  
It is now 1:30 am and I have just finished a story which took nearly a month to write. Tell  
me why.... I don't know.   
  
Okay, and as for "The Altered Universe," I need help. Demona was in WAAAY too many  
episodes for me to write by myself. If you want to write an ep for me, e-mail me at  
krystiana@geocites.com and tell me which one you want to do and how you want it to go,  
and I'll tell you if it hasn't been claimed or not. Yes, I have a few claimed by me, myself.  
It doesn't have to be an ep with Demona in it or not, you just have to follow the universe.  
Surprisingly enough, I haven't claimed Future Tense yet, because I have no clue how to  
do it. Here are the ones that I've claimed for certain:  
  
Long Way to Morning  
The Mirror  
Sanctuary  
  
E-mail me and tell me if there is one other than the above that you want to write. Or if  
you have any suggestions for the above, I will take them. And I've already gotten some  
feedback on whether or not Brooklyn gets the human-by-day gift of not, and they are all  
the same, but I won't tell you the decision. :P  
  
Oops, I babbled again!!!! 


	4. The Ultrapack: 2020 AD

Future Tense, Part IV: The Ultrapack  
by Krystiana Slinky {krystiana@geocities.com}  
----------------------------  
The fourth installment of Future Tense. When I started writing this, I had NO idea that people   
would like it so much! People have taken their precious time to e-mail me about my fics... so I   
have to mention some, whether they e-mailed me about Future Tense or my regular universe -   
Star Denari, Brooke4NY, Gray, Muddy, Lennox MacDuff, Ryan, Denis, and Llewelyn (actually, I   
e-mailed her about HER fic, and then she replyed with compliments for me!) Not just people,   
but GREAT people! (not just a milk cow, but a great milk cow!... sorry... got milk?)   
  
Okay... disclaimer inserted here. I don't own them, they don't own me. The only reason I know   
about them is because I just happened to watch the show. They don't know me, and if they find   
out about this story, may they NOT sue me for all I'm worth, because they sure as hell won't   
get much moola.   
  
Oh, and THEM is Disney (and Gargoyles).   
  
-----------------------  
  
2036 AD  
  
I can hear some commotion going outside. Brooklyn is talking into the communicators. I   
need to strain my ears to hear Brooklyn's quiet yet excited voice.  
"Goliath's back, Lex!"  
A murble from the comm, then Brooklyn is speaking again, and this time I can't hear it.   
I hear a click and then Brooklyn begins walking towards me.  
"Goliath is back, Broadway."  
"So I heard," I say. I have not forgotton Brooklyn's clear hatred for Goliath. "You won't   
hurt him, will you?"  
Brooklyn sighs noisily. "You and everyone else. Goliath abandoned us 40 years ago."  
"You took it hardest."  
"What?" Brooklyn's voice is disbelieving.   
"Of any of us, you took it the hardest that Goliath was gone. You were forced into   
leading us, when it was obvious you were far too young to take such a responsibility."  
Brooklyn is looking at me, I can tell. Perhaps he will consider my words.   
"For you, I won't kill him. But I can't guarantee that I'll be under control." I hear the swish   
of wings and tail as Brooklyn walks away.  
I blink for the eyes that weren't there anymore. I suddenly find myself wishing that   
Brooklyn wouldn't kill him for me, and not harm him for Maggie, Talon, and Coldstone. I still   
don't know if they are at peace or not.   
As Matt had so elequontly put, I was the lucky one. But I have doubted his words ever   
since I lost those three that one night...  
  
* * *  
  
2020 AD  
Chicago  
  
Fox was furious.   
Her husband had sent her away to "be safe" over 20 years ago. She needed to "be   
safe" due to the fact that she was pregnant, and she couldn't risk the baby's life when his   
breakaway began.   
Alexander was 23 years old now.   
His birthday was next week, so he would soon be 24. And Fox didn't think her husband   
even knew, or cared. What the hell kind of father was he?   
Alex didn't know the Xanatos-Manhattan breakaway was his father's doing. Fox had   
changed her name back to Reynard, and Alex took it too. She told him that his father was   
dead.   
In a strange way, he was. He hadn't made any effort to contact them since 2004. True,   
Alex had been old enough to remember him, but he didn't know WHO he was. He only knew a   
strange man gave them money.  
Fox was down right pissed. And she had every damn right to be. It wasn't that she   
didn't have enough money to get back to New York. She had plenty. She had TRIED to get a   
ticket to Manhattan, but the airports claimed that there was no way to get in. The government   
spread rumors that Xanatos had a city full of hostages.   
Hostages. Like HELL.   
They weren't ALLOWED to be citizens of the USA anymore. No contact with their   
familes out of town, no rights...  
No life.   
Fox KNEW it. Her husband had taken people's citizenship away. They were the villagers   
of his little domain, living in his own little castle. He was the king, the people his peasants. She   
half-expected Brooklyn's Rebels to start running around in tights, robbing the rich and giving to   
the poor.   
Fox laughed silently. She could just see it : Brooklyn and the Merry Gargoyles.   
But it was more true then a mere inside joke. Xanatos was a tyrant, and Brooklyn and   
his rebels were the peasants only hope. In this kingdom, no one got in, and no one got out.   
"Mom?"  
Fox looked up at her son. His voice sounded exactly like David's, except without the   
cunning "I-know-something-you-don't-know" edge to it. "Yes, Alex?"  
"There are these two people at the door..." Alex started, just before a manical laugh cut   
through the air. Fox knew that laugh, although she hadn't heard it in years.   
The east wall of the house blew apart. Fox turned, knowing who the two people were.   
"Just thought we'd drop by and discuss old times, Fox," Jackal began. His sister   
grinned, aiming her... hand?... at Fox's head. Fox thought it was her hand, at least.   
"You know these people, Mom?" Alex asked, eyeing Jackal.   
"I used to," Fox spat out.   
Jackal looked at Alex, then back at Fox. "Oh, so you're a mother!" he exclaimed   
mockingly. "I can see the resemblence." He grabbed a piece of Alex's long firey hair in one of   
his mechanical hands, then dropped it quickly. "Ouch, that burns!"   
Fox snarled, and kicked Hyena's hand away. "Don't you _touch_ my son!" she yelled,   
lunging at Jackal.   
Hyena smacked Fox in the back of the head. Fox's eyes rolled up into her head, and she   
fell to the ground in a faint. Jackal grinned.   
"Good reflexes, sis," he stated. He then turned to Alex again, who was glowering at the   
two of them. Jackal pointed at Fox's only son. "X has big plans for you, my boy."  
Alex narrowed his eyes. "X?" he comments dryly. "And who the hell might that be?"  
"You'll find out... soon."  
  
* * *  
  
Manhattan  
2 Days Later  
  
Broadway was absently picking at the cement floor, flicking little pieces of rocks here   
and there. Lexington was repairing Coldstone's robotic arm, which had been severely   
damaged in a fight with some mutates. Matt, Maggie, and Talon were in the corner playing a   
game of cards. Brooklyn was standing in the doorway of the clocktower, looking out.   
Broadway looked at each of the "groups" and decided Brooklyn looked too lonely. He   
hopped up to the doorway level.  
As Broadway approached Brooklyn, he saw the look of sadness on his brother's face.   
Without turning towards Broadway, Brooklyn said, "She's heartbroken." Two simple words.   
Broadway followed Brooklyn's line of sight and saw Demona on the balcony, wlbows on the   
ledge. Her wings cloaked, eyes sad, wind blowing through her hair... no wonder Brooklyn was   
up here all alone.   
Broadway decided to take his leave then. Not in the mood to talk to anyone else, he   
looked at each one of the clan slowly.   
The years had changed them all.   
Maggie had a nasty scar running down over her eye, which she had recieved from a   
rogue mutate not long after Thailog died. Talon's leg had been broken in battle a few months   
back, and since they didn't have the advantage of turning to stone during the day to heal, it   
wasn't getting much better. He could walk, but very slowly.   
Matt was getting gray.   
Demona barely spoke to anyone after Thailog's death, except for Brooklyn. It was a rare   
occasion that she would voice her opinion about something - going way against her   
personality. Anyone could see she was in mourning.  
Brooklyn had spent a lot of time trying to console Demona, but even after four long   
years, there was little progress. He, himself, had three deep scars, hidden by the blue   
shoulder armor that had been supplied by Demona. Brooklyn had always been taller then   
Broadway, but now he practically dwarfed everyone.   
Coldstone's body was becoming harder and harder to repair, and Lexington was close   
to replacing the mechanical parts, but they didn't have the resources.   
And Lexington... Lexington had become less than social. He kept to himself a lot,   
dissappearing for hours at a time without telling anybody where he was going.   
Broadway watched as Lex closed the panel on Coldstone's arm. Coldstone moved it up   
and down, and then nodded at Lex. Lex turned around and seemed to disappear.   
A shadow fell over Broadway, and he looked up to the higher level. Brooklyn stood   
there, looking over everyone.   
"I need some volunteers to go on patrol," he said. "I didn't actually schedule anyone-"  
"I'll go." Talon jumped up, supporting his weight on the uninjured leg.   
Brooklyn shook his head. "You still need to time to heal-"  
"Ah, screw healing," Talon interrupted again. "I don't need my leg to use my wings."  
"But what if you end up findng something?"  
"It's possible to fight without one dinky little-"  
"Limb?"  
"Uh..."  
Brooklyn sighed. "All right. But if you even get scratched tonight, you're NOT going out   
until you can walk without limping." He paused. "I want three others to go with him."  
"I can take care of mys-"  
"I'll go!" Maggie said, standing up quickly beside Talon, who began glaring at her.  
Coldstone walked forward. "I will accompany them as well."  
Broadway looked around. Lex was nowhere to be seen, so that left... "I'll go, too," he   
offered with a sigh. "Not much to do around here."  
Brooklyn nodded, and turned back to Talon. "And you will NOT fight anything by   
yourself," he ordered.  
Talon began sputtering a protest, but Brooklyn gave him a long warning look.   
The four filed up the stairs, past him, and past Demona, taking to the air.  
  
* * *  
  
Alex slowly came to in a dark room. He shook his head to clear it.   
A thin stream of light filtered down, giving him just enough to see his surroundings. He   
was in a small room, painted gray. There were various paintings on the walls, along with a   
turned-off light.  
His mother was nowhere to be seen.  
The light source was coming a cracked door. Alex began crawling towards it as quietly   
as possible. He peeked through and saw... no one.   
He opened the door, cringing when it squeeked. ~Why is it whenever you try to be   
quiet, everything makes as much noise as possible?~ he thought, grinding his teeth. He walked   
quietly out into the open, stopping ever few steps to listen.   
Footsteps!  
If he got caught again, there would be NO way he could rescue his mom.   
He fled silently, fighting back tears at leaving his mother behind.   
  
* * *  
  
Lexington laughed gleefully as Fox's son ran from the building. No doubt he was going   
to try and get help. But who would help him? No one. He sounded enough like Xanatos that   
people could believe he WAS Xanatos.   
Fox watched Lexington through narrowed eyes. She knew her son would come back for   
her, but she was praying that he wouldn't. He deserved better then to be put to death by his   
father's successor.   
Who would have possibly thought that the actual one causing all this misery was one of   
the ones fighting it?  
  
* * *  
  
Sevarius was dead frightened of his Master.   
He had been captured years ago.   
Actually, Sevarius had heard about the breakaway from the US. Why not get on   
Xanatos's good side while he still had the chance?   
But Sevarius never had a chance. The cyborg gargoyle trapped him, and made him   
work his ass off. He got a five minute break each day, but only ONCE. He was allowed 5 hours   
of sleep... but during the day. He had to do most of his work at night, so the Master could see   
his progress. He had already spit out the mutate formula, the mind-controlling machine that   
brainwashed the newly mutated humans, and he had tracked down the Pack. His current   
project was forming nicely, but he had NEVER wanted to do it in the first place.   
Thailog Shock Troops is what they were called. His first few attempts failed. The first he   
managed to create a clone, but it literally melted. The second didn't have a mind to control; it   
just stared blankly. The third was the closest he had gotten, but there was the minor defect of   
it's increased aging not stopping when it got to it's prime. It was just difficult to clone   
something from a clone.  
But now Sevarius thought he had it.   
This newest subject had a mind, it had stopped aging a few weeks ago, and it was   
looking VERY promising.   
Just in time for the Master's check-in, too.  
The cyborg gargoyle walked into the room where Sevarius worked. Anton felt shivers   
go up his spine as Lexington tilted his head back in question.   
"I-I think I've got it," he stuttered nervously. "The subject is ready to be programed."   
Lexington looked into the glass holding the dark figure. "Good." He turned back to   
Sevarius, unsmiling. "I'll need more than one, though..."  
"O-of course!!" Sevarius yelped.   
"Then get them done." Lexington stared Sevarius straight in the eye.   
"Yes, sir."   
  
* * *  
  
Alexander stumbled through the streets, not knowing where he was. If he shouted for   
help, who would hear him? And who would care?  
He sat down for a rest. He felt like a little lost child again, wandering around the   
supermarket looking for his mother.   
As he was stopped, he looked at his surroundings. Nothing but crumbling buildings and   
a few scampering rats. And there was the distinct smell of salt water in the air.  
Alex suddenly jumped up. If he could find the main beach on Lake Michigan, he could   
find his way home from there!  
Following instinct only, he turned around and crawled through the ruins of a building.   
As he was doing this, it hit him.  
There weren't this many wrecked buildings in Chicago, and he knew the Windy City like   
the back of his hand. After all, it was his home.  
Then why did this place feel more like home to him?  
  
* * *  
  
Broadway half-heartedly scanned the streets below. Here and there, a few people were   
gathered around a trash can with a small fire in it for warmth. Some even looked up and   
waved at the gargoyles and mutates as they went past. It was something of a silent thanks for   
watching over them.   
They landed for a rest near a large group of humans. They were grouped together in a   
circle, all holding hands, singing something. Broadway inched closer to listen.   
  
"We are a circle  
Within a circle.  
With no beginning,  
And never ending."  
  
It was just that repeated over and over again. It was slow, repetative...  
And the one of the most beautiful things Broadway had heard in years.   
Broadway leaned farther forwards, and noticed a man watching the same group. Most   
of him hidden by shadows, the only distinct feature he could make out was his bright red hair.   
Broadway gestured to the others and pointed out the human. They all nodded, then   
silently approached him.   
  
* * *  
  
Alex turned around abruptly to face four large... somethings.  
The female something spoke up first. "Who are you? We've never seen you before."  
"Alex Reynard," he said on auto-pilot, then mentally kicked himself for giving these   
creatures his name.   
The big green one blinked. "Reynard?" he said in a surprised tone. "Are you related to a   
Fox Xanatos?"  
"Fox is my mom's nickname... but Xanatos?!" Alex said, disgusted. "Like I'm related to   
the guy that's taking over Manhattan..." He stopped and looked at the creatures more   
carefully. "Gargoyles?" He shook his head. "How the hell am I in New York?" he muttered.   
"You're supposed to be somewhere else?" the black panther-like thing asked.   
"Yeah - Chicago."   
"Do you know how you got here?"  
"Probably those two hyperactive-cyborg-whatevers brought us here."   
"Us?"  
"Me and my mom."  
"Can you tell us what happened?"  
And so Alex spilled his guts to the four.  
  
* * *  
  
Hyena silently watched them talk. Somehow she knew that if they followed Alexander,   
they would find the Rebels. True, not ALL of them, but it was a good portion of them.   
She signaled to the rest of the Pack, which had thinned in the past years. Dingo was   
somewhere in Austraila, and they all knew where Fox was.   
X's head scientist had given Jackal, Hyena, and Wolf all upgrades. They were all   
stronger, faster, and (to put it bluntly) meaner. They were ready to literally rip the gargoyles   
apart.   
Jackal crept up beside her. "You were right, sis," he whispered. "They're here."  
"But they're not what we were sent here to do," Wolf growled. "We're supposed to   
capture those people." He pointed at the circle.   
"I know that!" Hyena hissed. "But think about how much respect we could get if we took   
out half of the resistance!"  
"And think how deep we'd be in it if we didn't get the free humans!" Wolf's eyes were   
narrowed, and low growl was starting deep in his throat.  
Hyena glared. "Fine. Just because you're scared, we'll take out the freebies."   
"Scared!" Wolf opened his mouth to start shouting, until Jackal slapped a cyberbiotic   
hand over it.   
"Do you two want to give away our location?!"   
  
* * *  
  
As Alex finished his story, Broadway spoke up. "Should we bring him to Brooklyn?"  
"Brooklyn?" Alex asked. "As in Brooklyn's Rebels?" He shook his head in disbelief. "I   
thought ithat was just a title, like, you lived in Brooklyn or something."  
"Nope, he's a real person," Talon said. "And you're going to go see him."   
"Why?"  
Broadway spoke up. "Because the two who brought you here sound like Jackal and   
Hyena. And if they're in town, we've got a problem."  
~And he might be Xanatos's son,~ Broadway thought to himself as he grabbed Alex   
under his shoulders and took a tremendous jump to get himself going.  
  
* * *  
  
Wolf watched the five leave. He raised a hand, and then brought it down, signaling for   
the attack to begin.   
Hyena circled the humans in the air, laughing, shooting randomly. The people started   
running for cover, but everywhere they looked their escape was cut off.   
They were cornered.   
Jackal called the "box" to come forwards. The box was just a big metal cage that   
moved. Simply gesturing, the humans got the idea and went inside. The door shut after them   
with a clang.   
  
* * *  
  
Coldstone picked up an unusual sound with his hearing. It was like.. something very   
large made out of metal? He gasped and looked back.   
"The humans!" he exclaimed. The others turned around. Talon immediately leapt into   
action and shot towards the box. The others followed, while Broadway swooped down to the   
ground and set Alex there.   
"Stay here."  
Alex watched their diminishing forms with narrowed eyes. "Yeah, right," he muttered.   
He quickly started sprinting after them.   
  
* * *  
  
"Sevarius!" Hyena shouted. "We got 'em!"   
Anton Sevarius walked out of his lab to collect the humans to turn them into mutates,   
but the first glance over the Pack's shoulder sent him running back in.   
"What's his problem?" Jackal inquired.  
A roar turned their heads. They saw four winged creatures flying towards them at top   
speed.   
"I _knew_ we should've taken them out!" Hyena said in a smart-ass fashion, extending a   
blaster from her arm. She shot right between two of them, seperating the four into two   
groups of two.   
Coldstone and Talon were one group, Maggie and Broadway the other. Talon swooped   
in and knocked Wolf off of his feet. Coldstone ran into Jackal, who immediately started fighting   
him hand to hand.   
Broadway landed behind Hyena, who swiveled around with an insane screech. She   
leapt at him, sending them both rolling across the ground.   
Maggie wondered which one to help. They all looked like they were faring well.   
Sevarius ran back outside carrying a large laser gun. Maggie was facing away from   
him. He aimed, and fired.   
The shot hit right on the neck.   
Not even letting out a cry, Maggie fell from the air and landed on the ground with a   
thump.   
"MAGGIE!!" Talon cried. He started running towards her, but was stopped by Wolf, who   
kneed him directly in his wounded leg. Talon fell to the ground. Coldstone meanwhile, was   
tiring. Jackal was as strong as ever, and not giving up. He forced Coldstone up against the   
wall. He brought back his clawed hand, and the same time Wolf was making a fist.  
It was the last thing Broadway saw before Hyena gouged out his eyes.   
  
* * *  
  
Alex whispered one thing. "No."   
He sat there watching the Pack laugh. The one human (or human looking) person sat   
there without a smile.   
Hyena finally noticed Alex watching them with horrifed eyes. She decided it was time to   
put X's plan into action. She walked up to Alex, trying to look non-threatening.   
"Alexander," she said in a soft voice, bringing back her acting skills from high school   
and such. Alex looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Your mother is dead."  
Alex gasped and looked down.   
"I'm sorry," Hyena added. "She was an old friend of mine."  
"Is that why you kidnapped us?" Alex hissed.  
"I did that because the gargoyles ordered me to!" she exclaimed. Even as she spoke,   
Alex could tell she was lying through her teeth. But if Xanatos thought he was on HIS side...  
"And what do you want me to do it?"  
"Your father wants you to reign with him."  
Alex stared at her. "Father?" His voice was barely a whisper.   
Hyena nodded. "You father got us away from the gargoyles, and we fight with him now.   
He's RIGHT, don't you see?" There was false sincerity in her eyes.   
"Father?"  
Hyena put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Xanatos is your father." She paused. "And he   
wants to see you."   
"Not right now," he said. "I-I'll come here later..."  
Hyena plastered a look of understanding on her face. "You want time to mourn your   
mother."  
"Y-yes," he stuttered.   
Hyena left.  
  
* * *  
  
The rest of the rebels found Alex kneeling in a mud puddle, sobbing. Alex quickly   
sobered and explained his story. Brooklyn nodded, but then noticed four bodies lying nearby.  
Brooklyn knew he shouldn't have let Talon go. He knelt beside his second's body. His   
head had apparently been crushed in by something strong.   
He next walked over to Coldstone's body. His neck had been broken.   
Maggie had been shot in the spinal cord by some sort of laser. Her death had   
mercifully been painless.   
Broadway was laying face down. Brooklyn froze. His brother was dead too?   
He couldn't deal with something like that.   
But he was thankfully breathing, as Brooklyn could see. "Broadway?"   
Broadway sat up with his hands over his face. Brooklyn walked up by him. "Looks like   
you were the lucky one," Matt stuttered uncertainly.   
"Brooklyn?" Broadway's voice cracked. He drew his hands away from his face.   
"I can't see!"  
  
* * *  
  
2036 AD  
  
Why do you never remember the best night of your life? You always remember the   
worst.  
Always.   
I always remember the look on their faces...  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
--------------  
  
Coming Soon!  
  
The Final Chapter of  
Future Tense: Part V: Loving the Enemy -   
Can Brooklyn and Demona's relationship fall through?  
  
---------------  
  
Ergh... this one took me forever to write. Oh, well.   
  
Okay, I've been getting worried e-mails that wonder if I'm giving up on my regular universe.   
Don't be paranoid! Me? Leave you guys hanging with everyone forgetting?   
Then check out this-  
  
FINALLY!!  
  
The definite list of my stories!!!  
In order of releasing...  
  
Future Tense, Part IV (this one)  
Future Tense, Part V  
AU: Long Way to Morning (sequel to my version of Temptation)  
Faith at Heart (the continuation of my regular fic universe)  
Time (sequel to "Faith")  
Mind Games  
The Coven Saga, Part IV: Dark Reunion - SEASON FINALE!!   
  
You may think that just because I've labeled it a season finale, I copied off of Christine Morgan.   
Guess what! I sorted out this list before 5 stories from her 'verse finale were posted. Oh, and if   
she may ever read this... YAY!! My stories are being read by a "what need be done... chief?"   
(sorry... school joke)  
  
Why is it my season finale? Because that's pretty much where my ideas stopped (or decent   
ideas that were worth shaping into stories). I'm compiling something called "Krystiana's   
Creativity Demons" that is just me and my odd brain working (can't you hear the gears go   
round and round? squeek... squeek........ squerk....).  
  
Okay... and NEWS FROM ME!! In my RL in good old Ohio, a few of my stories (no, they're not   
posted on the 'net, anywhere) were nominated by my classmates to be published in a book of   
short stories. I'm one of the youngest nominees (hell, I'm happy just to be nominated). 15   
stories will be picked, and 5 of mine are in the judging. So on September 20th... uh... thoughts   
be with me? 


	5. Beginning the End: 2026 AD

Future Tense, Part V  
Beginning the End  
by Kristina Evelina Brannan  
AKA Krystiana Slinky  
kbrannan@raex.com {or} krystiana@geocities.com  
----------------------------  
  
Standard Disclaimer... Gargoyles and all related characters belong to Disney and Buena Vista   
Television. None of the characters in the fic are mine, for once. I'm using these without   
permission, *shocked gasps* but that's life. Just don't sue me. Ignore me.   
  
Yes, I did change the title of this fic. I finished this, finally, after forcing myself to. After realising   
on January 18, 12:30 AM that I hadn't worked on this stupid things since July... I decided it   
was high time to finish it. There isn't much of a plot in this one, but it's the wind-up of the   
series.   
  
YES! I WANT E-MAIL ABOUT THIS!! FLAME ME, IF YOU WANNA!! JUST LET ME KNOW THAT   
SOMEONE IS READING!!!!   
  
Hey, for once, I'm too tired to babble on too much. Bet yer all just jumping for joy, eh?  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
2036 AD  
  
Goliath was back. The news had spread quickly. I suppose I was nearly gloating at about   
to get revenge.   
I wonder why Demona was not back yet. She should not have been so far away to be   
this late. It was unlike her to not be prompt. Perhaps she had come in through the back   
entrance...  
I turn my head back towards Goliath, who is still studying the statue of Hudson.   
"The first hero of the resistance..." Matt explained.   
"Hudson, dead?" Goliath's voice sounds sad. I hear a whine and I suddenly realise that   
Bronx was there with him. It was a wonder that Bronx had not caught my scent yet.   
My attention is averted as I see movement out of the corner of my eye. I turn my head   
and see her. I let loose a smile that no one can see. Demona HAD come in through the back.   
Now she too, was watching Goliath with curious eyes.   
But now I watch her. Although I want to get to teaching Goliath a lesson about   
abandoning people, I am relieved that she is back.   
I'll never forget the first time I lost her...  
  
* * *  
  
2026 AD  
  
Brooklyn walked quietly up behind the shadowed figure, all features hidden by the dark.  
"It's been years, Brooklyn," she said, even though he hadn't even announced his   
presense. "How come I can't forget?"  
"You cared for one another," Brooklyn said. ""You don't forget someone like that."  
"I don't want to forget him!" she said. "I just want it to stop hurting." She closed her   
eyes and tilted her head up, letting her face be splattered by the rain.  
Brooklyn though for a moment before he said his words so he wouldn't offend her.   
"Demona, you've brought so much to this clan and the resistance. I'm positive that if it wasn't   
for you, we would have lost the war by now, and Xanatos would have his way and this world.  
"But seeing you like this..." He stopped for a moment. "You were always the strongest,   
craftiest, and smartest gargoyle I have ever met."  
"What about Goliath?" Demona asked bitterly.  
"Goliath's not coming back," Brooklyn said, his voice taking on a hard tone. "He   
abandoned us, and if he ever happens to come back, I will gladly rip off his head."  
"You're not being very comforting," Demona said. Brooklyn eyes softened.  
"I'm sorry," he said in a calming voice.  
"It was exactly ten years ago," Demona said. "To this night."  
"It was a great loss," Brooklyn said with genuine sorrow in his voice. "We'll alll miss   
him."  
One tear slipped down Demona's face. She turned away from Brooklyn to hide her   
tears. Brooklyn placed a hand on her shoulder.  
"I'd never though I'd catch myself saying this... but... I admire you," Brooklyn said   
hesitantly.  
Demona turned back towards him in pure shock. "But... I used you!"  
Brooklyn put a hand on each of her shoulders now. "I know, I know. And I had managed   
to hold onto that anger for a long time. But you diminshed it!" He stopped and took a deep   
breath. "Because you helped us all through the war, and you are a part of the clan."  
Demona's tears slid away and she stared at Brooklyn as a smile spread across her   
face. "Oh, Brooklyn," she cried. "I wanted to apologize to you, but I didn't know how you would   
react." She smiled at him, but then frowned. "I'm sorry, Brooklyn. Can you ever forgive me?  
Brooklyn grinned back at her. "I already have."  
Demona's eyes were shocked. "Thank you. I just needed to know," she whispered with   
joy in her eyes. She gave him a quick hug, then walked past the stunned gargoyle to the inside.  
  
* * *  
  
The exchange outside had apparently gone unnoticed by the rest of the clan, because   
no one said anything or acted any different.  
Demona went on patrol as usual a few nights later. When she didn't check in at the   
usual time, it went by without much concern. But when another hour had gone and still no   
word, it was time to try and contact her.  
"Demona, can you read me?" Brooklyn said into the communicator. Silence. "Demona?"   
he asked again, uncertainly. When there was still no reply, he looked up with blank eyes. "Turn   
on the trackers, Lex," he said in a low voice.  
Lex booted up the tracking program and loomed in on Demona's position. She was   
apparently standing still, and surrounded by several... somethings...  
Brooklyn's eyes widened and then narrowed. "We'll go on foot. Come on." He ran out   
the door on all fours, the others following and Matt lagging behind.   
  
* * *  
  
They arrived at the scene and saw that Demona was all but standing still. When you   
were being shot over and over again, it was hard to stay in one spot. The Thailog soldiers were   
all circled around her. None of them gave notice to the gargoyles, mutate, and one human   
running up behind them.  
Brooklyn saw Demona's predicament, and then leapt into the air, ramming right into   
the back of one of the Thailogs. He barreled into two more, and then threw one against a wall. The others quickly joined in.   
Matt suddenly yelled a warning as several mutates began running towards them,   
drawn by the commotion.   
Brooklyn swore inwardly. The mutates were stupid, but they fought in great numbers.   
They weren't easy to beat.   
Matt turned to him. "Get to Demona!" he shouted. "We'll hold the muties off!" Brooklyn   
silently nodded, leaping high and kicking a Thailog in the head. He fought his way over to the   
azure female.  
She wasn't in very good shape. Nearly unconsious, she had several bruises on her face   
and body. She stared at Brooklyn through slitted eyes, one close to swollen shut. "Brooklyn-"   
she croaked out, before Brooklyn shushed her.  
"Quiet. Don't move. I'll get you out of her." He picked her up and looked at the others   
fighting off the mutates. They were winning easily, so he ran off, away from the commotion   
with Demona in his arms.   
  
* * *  
  
She woke up to something wet on her forehead. She opened her eyes to see Brooklyn   
looking down at her worriedly.   
"You lost your pulse about 15 minutes ago for a few seconds. But it came back, and   
the swelling in your bruises faded."  
Demona smiled weakly. "Magic of the Sisters."  
Brooklyn took away the cold compress and wet it again. He touched it to one of the   
quickly fading bruises on the side of her head tenderly. "You had me scared."  
Demona caught his hand as he tried to put the compress to her head again. She   
stared at his face in wonder. "You were... scared... for me?"  
Brooklyn slowly nodded. "I was afraid you would die."  
Demona shook her head. "But I thought-"  
"I already explained I had forgiven you for that," Brooklyn interrupted.   
Demona paused for a moment. "You were afraid I would die?"  
Brooklyn hesitated, sucking in a deep breath. "I was afraid... that I would lose you." Demona looked into Brooklyn's dark eyes as he continued. "I didn't realise how much I   
had to lose until I thought you were gone."  
Demona touched the side of his face with her hand and continued to search his eyes. "Brooklyn..." He was trembling.  
"Demona, you are my last anchor to sanity. Goliath abandoned us, and then Hudson   
was killed. I would have lost it that night if you hadn't been there." Demona smiled, sitting up. "Demona, I-"  
She drew him into her arms, stroking his white hair with her hand. "Brooklyn... how can   
I be your anchor to sanity?" She paused and smiled weakly. "I was the one who was always   
called insane."  
"You're not insane..."  
Demona laughed. "Do you really think so?"   
Brooklyn drew back from her. "I know you're not insane. You're probably more together   
then me."   
"I wouldn't say that..." Demona smiled. She suddenly sat up all the way and looked at Brooklyn. "Where are the others?" she asked.  
"They called me a few minutes before you woke. They're fine, and they scared off the   
mutates and Thailogs. Now they're helping the people you were trying to protect by yourself." He smiled at her. "Why didn't you call for help?"  
"My communicator was smashed before I realised I was overwhelmed." She tried   
standing up, but she was suddenly taken by dizziness. She nearly fell as she began blacking   
out, but was stopped by a pair of strong arms. She looked up weakly at Brooklyn, who looked   
concerned again. But as she watched his face, his concern slowly melted into something else. Understanding.  
Demona was the one trembling now. She understood, too. She reached up and put a   
shaking hand to the side of his face. "I'm with you," she whispered almost inaudibly. "I belong to   
you."  
Brooklyn held her. "I'm a part of you." He leaned his head close to hers.   
Demona closed her eyes. "Born for this..." she whispered. She closed the gap between   
them and their lips met.   
"Born for this..." she repeated, and they kissed again.  
"Born for this."  
"For this."  
  
* * *  
  
The others had returned to the clocktower and discovered what Brooklyn had missed   
in his worry for Demona - the place had been ransacked while they were gone. Xanatos had   
figured out where they were.   
Brooklyn swallowed. "We need to leave, then. And soon."  
"But where are we going to go?" Broadway asked.   
Brooklyn looked at Claw. "The Labyrinth."   
And so they took whatever they needed the most, and left.   
Brooklyn looked back one more time, as did Demona. As they watched, they head a   
loud boom. The clock faces of the tower blew outward, and the ceiling collapsed. The Xanatos   
goons had set a bomb.   
They arrived at the Labyrinth, which was darker then the night outside. They quickly set   
a few vital things up, and Lexington almost immediately started working on things to make it   
more homey.  
Brooklyn looked at Demona, who smiled at him. He then turned back to the remainder   
of the clan and cleared his throat. "I have an announcement to make," he said. As everyone   
gave him their attention, he continued. "I've decided to make Demona my new second."  
Demona gasped. "Why me?"  
"Because you've had more fighting experience then any of us," Brooklyn said seriously.   
"I-I..." Demona stuttered.  
Matt spoke up. "I'm fine with that. I think it's a good decision."   
Demona looked shocked.   
  
* * *  
  
A few nights later, Brooklyn and Demona were on patrol. They glided by the ruins of the   
clock tower, and the landed.  
"I can't believe I feel so bad about losing that tower..." Demona said. "I've lost hundreds   
of homes, and never felt so angry."  
"Yeah," Brooklyn agreed. "I almost feel like I've lost a friend."  
Demona looked up at Brooklyn, smiling. "But we're still together. That's something that   
matters."  
Brooklyn grinned back at her. "Yeah. We're still here."   
Demona looked back at the clock tower with a small smile on her face. She knew that   
the war against Xanatos was far from over. But with Brooklyn by her side, she knew they   
would beat him. They could accomplish anything.  
They were born for this.  
  
* * *  
  
2036 AD  
  
I smile as I think of that night.   
Demona makes eye contact with me, hikes an eyebrow and throws me a small smile.   
I turn my attention back to Goliath. He looks terribly saddened by the loss of Hudson.  
Matt is speaking now. "None of us have seen Xanatos in person since."  
Goliath shakes his head, his hand still on Hudson's statue. "I saw his broadcast image.   
He does not look forty years older."  
I growl softly, and decide it is time to make my appearance. "The rumor is that he's   
realised his dream of immortality," I say as I step out of the shadows. I noticed Demona tense   
up across the way.   
Goliath looks sincerely happy to see me. "Brooklyn!" he exclaims.  
"Welcome back, Goliath," I say.   
"I've been waiting a long time for this."  
  
* * *  
  
Epilogue  
  
2036 AD  
Three Hours Later  
  
Amid the wreakage and the dying the embers with their lasting glow, lay a gargoyle   
body.   
Slowly, ever so slowly, the chest rises and falls, then is still.   
It rises and falls again.  
The breathing is forced and noisy, but necessary.   
The eyes open and slowly focus on it's surroundings. The computer was gone, blown   
away, so to speak. But one screen somehow still let off a glow. It said but two words, and it   
meant so much.   
"Download Successful."  
The forced, noisy breathing becomes jagged and irregular, as if he's...  
...laughing...  
Yes, it was true.  
The age of Xanatopia had indeed begun.   
  
The End?  
  
------------  
  
That's just BEGGING for a sequel, don't ya think? Well, I'm thinking it out, and maybe a series   
could produce. "The Age of Xanatopia," or just plain "Xanatopia." What do ya think?   
  
It's over and done with. YAY!!!  
  
Coming Soon!!  
  
Time - Elisa is sent back... can you guess where? And when? 


End file.
